1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to radio frequency (“RF”) systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to the detection of RF signals to control an RF signal switching mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional RF systems consist of a number of components (e.g., amplifiers, filters, etc.) connected in cascade. If any one component along the connection malfunctions, the entire system also malfunctions.
A redundant RF system may be defined as two identical cascade connections of RF components. One such connection may replace the other in the event that one of the components malfunctions. The time that transpires in between the malfunctioning event and the replacement of the connection is crucial for communications applications. That is, the time that it takes a system to recognize a malfunction and then replace the connection may simply be too long to be acceptable by communication standards and/or user requirements. Therefore, there is a need in the art for an RF switching system that can switch in a redundant connection in an efficient and flexible manner.